early



March 26, 1957 w, F, EARLY 2,786,274

SCRIBING TOOL Filed Oct. 19, 1955 INVENTOR WILLIAM F. EARLY ATTORNEYUnited States Patent SCRIBING TOOL William F. Early, Manheim Township,Lancaster County, Pa., assignor to Armstrong Cork Company, Lancaster,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 19, 1955, SerialNo. 541,335

3 Claims. (Cl. 33-41) This invention relates to a scribing tool and moreparticularly to a combined tool for line and pattern scribing.

The invention finds particular usefulness in the installation of floorand wall coverings, countertop and sink coverings, and the like. Withthe advent of widespread installation of surface coverings by homemechanics, a need has developed for a relatively simple and low-costscribing tool, for the home mechanic is not generally sufiicientlyskilled in the field of installation to properly use the precision typescribing tools provided for the trained installation mechanic. Also, thehome mechanic has relatively little need for a scribing tool, hisefforts usually being limited to one or two noncomplicated installationswhich would not justify the expense of a precision unit.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a simplescribing unit with a minimum number of parts which may be produced atlow cost and which will be simple and easy to operate.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a single tool line andpattern scribers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a scriber which includesa divider portion adapted for pattern scribing and adual-point-of-contact guide for line scribing of arcuate surfaces.

An additional object is to provide a scriber which when held in oneposition may be used as a divider in pattern scribing and when held inanother position may be used as a guide in line scribing withoutinjuring or defacing the surface against which the scriber is placed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable scriber witha combined scribing point and clamping arrangement which will permitready adjusting and positioning of the scribing point, without the useof any tools.

The invention is illustrated in the attached drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view partly in section, illustrating the scriberof the present invention in use in a line scribing operation;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the scribing tool shown in Figure1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the scribing tool used inscribing a pattern;

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the scribing toolemploying the pattern of Figure 3 and transferring the scribed line to asection of surface covering;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the scriber taken along the line 55 ofFigure 1; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 illustrating the linescribing of a curved surface with a dual-point-ofcontact guide.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the scribing tool cornprises a body member2 which is preferably made from a metal stamping. A projection 3 isformed on one end of the body 2 and terminates in a rounded point 4 forengagement with a surface to be followed in line scribing. This iscalled a tracing point. A bifurcated projection 5 is provided on theother end of the body member 2 and terminates in a pair of spaced fixedpoints 6 and 7. These are called divider points.

The body member 2 is provided with a central slot 8 which extendsthroughout substantially the whole length of the body portion. The slot8 is provided to receive scribe 9. A clamping plate 10 is provided whichis screwthreaded to receive the scribe 9. The scribe 9 is in the form ofa winged screw having a finger engaging portion 11, a centralscrew-threaded shank portion 12, and a clamping flange 13. The memberterminates in a point 14. This is called a scribing point.

The clamping plate 10 is preferably provided with flanges 15 and 16disposed to engage the opposite parallel edges 17 and 18 of the bodymember 2 to prevent any lateral movement of the scribe when it isclamped in its adjusted position.

In use of the scribing tool in line scribing, as illustrated in Figure1, the central portion of the body member 2 is grasped by the workman,and the tracing point 4 is brought into engagement with the surfaceagainst which the covering is to be fitted. In Figure 1, a wall 19 whichprojects vertically from the floor 20 has secured to it a door frametrim member 21 of curved outline at its base where the frame member 21abuts against the floor 20. The flooring material 22 which is to beinstalled so as to fit closely around the frame member 21 and againstthe wall 19 is positioned on the floor 2i), and the scribe 9 is clampedin the desired position on the body member 2. The tool is held in asubstantially horizontal position with the tracing point 4 engaging thesurface to be traced and the scribing point 14 pressed into engagementwith the upper surface of the flooring material 22. The mechanic thenmoves the scribing tool along the surface to be traced and scribes aline 23 on the surface of the covering 22 corresponding to the outlineof the frame member 21, as in dicated in Figure 1. The mechanic thentrims the covering material 22 along the scribed line and then positionsit around the frame member 21. In many instances, the covering will beadhesively secured in such position.

The foregoing type of scribing is known as line scribing, for a line istraced on the surface covering corresponding to the outline of the roomprojections against which the covering is to be fitted. In Figures 3 and4, pattern scribing is illustrated. In Figure 3, the floor has beenindicated by the numeral 24 and an upstanding projection in the form ofa column of curved outline has been indicated at 25. In this embodimenta layer of cushioning felt 26 is to be installed on the floor 24 and alinoleum or similar flooring material 27 is to be adhesively secured tothe cushioning felt. In this type of installation, the cushioning feltmay be cut roughly to the outline of the room projections, as the column25 in Figure 3 and is used as a pattern from which a line may be scribedon the surface covering to closley fit the contour of the roomprojections. In pattern scribing, the scribing tool will be grasped bythe workman in the body portion 2 and will be held in a generallyvertical position as contrasted with the horizontal position shown inFigure 1. The divider points will be used. The mechanic will bring thepoint 6 into engagement with the projection 25 and the point 7 intoengagement with the felt sheet 26. He will tilt the scribing unitslightly so that the edge of the point 7 will form a sharp projectionwhich will scribe a line 28 on the surface of the felt sheet 26.

After the line 28 has been scribed, the piece of felt 26 will be laid onthe surface of the linoleum sheet 27 (Figure 4) to be installed over thefelt, the felt sheet 26 now serving as a pattern. The mechanic willgrasp the scribing tool in the body portion 2 and will bring the point 7into position on the line 28. The line 28 will be followed, with thescribing tool so positioned that the point 6 is in scribing relationshipwith the surface of the linoleum 27, and a line 29 will be scribed whichwill exactly correspond to the outline of the projection 25. Themechanic, upon severing the linoleum 27 along the line 29, will then beprepared to cement the felt 26 to the floor 24 and then cement thelinoleum 27 to the felt 26 with the linoleum properly engaging theprojection 25.

It is obvious, of course, that instead of using the cushioning felt as apattern, a separate piece of pattern paper or the like may be used", butwhere the installation is to be made with a felt underlayment, thesimplest procedure, of course, is to use the felt as a pattern.

Figure 6 illustrates the use of the scribing device in line scribingwhere the floor 30 has a column 31 or the like projecting thereabove.With arcuate surfaces such as the column 31, it is difficult to properlyline scribe with the tracing point 4 in the manner described inconnection with Figure 1, for it is practically impossible to maintainproper radial alignment of the tool as scribing proceeds around such acurved surface. In this case, the divider points 6 and 7 are broughtinto engagement with the curved surface 31 and serve as adual-point-of-contact guide, insuring proper radial alignment of thetool as the line scribing proceeds. The operation is generally the sameas in line scribing with the tracing point as discussed above inconnection with Figure l, the tool being disposed in a horizontalposition with the scribing point 14 pressed into engagement with thesurface of the flooring material 32 which is to be fitted around thecolumn 31. The line 33 which is scribed will correspond exactly to thecontour of the column; and when the mechanic severs the flooring 32along the line 33, the flooring may be secured in position with thesevered edge lying in good close contact with the column 31.

It will be clear from examination of Figures 1 and 2 that when thedivider points are positioned as shown in Figure 6 they will not scratchor mar the surface of the column 31, for it is necessary to tilt thetool as shown in Figures 3 and 4 to present a sharp edge for scribing.

The scribing tool is simple to use and is as accurate and as universalas necessary for the average installation which the home mechanic may beexpected to undertake successfully.

I claim:

1. A scribing tool for line and pattern scribing comprising an elongatedfiat body member provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein,said body member providing a central portion for digital engagement, aprojection on one end of said body portion terminating in a point forengagement with a surface to be followed in line scribing, a bifurcatedprojection on the other end of said body portion terminating in a pairof spaced, fixed scribing points for pattern scribing and for engagementwith curved surfaces in line scribing, a clamping member engageable withthe under surface of said body member and slidable along the length ofsaid body member, said clamping member having a screw-threaded openingtherein, and a combined scribing point and fastening member threadedinto said clamping member and engageable with the upper surface of saidbody member to fix said scribing point in adjusted position with respectto the projections on the ends of said body member in line scribing.

2. A scribing tool in accordance with claim 1 in which the clampingmember is provided with laterally directed flanges engageable with saidbody member along the longitudinal edges thereof.

3. A scribing tool in accordance with claim 2 in which the combinedscribing point and fastening member is in v the form of a screw-threadedbolt having a scribing point at one end thereof and a flanged wingportion on the other end thereof providing a member for digitalengagement and a surface for clamping engagement with the body memberwhen the threaded portion thereof is received within said clampingmember.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,576,800 Tibony Mar. 16, 1926 2,104,515 Golden Jan. 4, 1938 2,274,727Neiss et a1 Mar. 3, 1942 2,541,808 Cahill et a1 Feb. 13, 1951

